Roller device

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to improvements in a roller device by which articles placed on a roller face are moved in a desired direction in a plane, and composed of a main body, a plurality of rollers mounted around the periphery thereof with a cylindrical boss included in the main body and adapted to receive a shaft for mounting a plurality of the devices.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 321,309, filed Jan. 5,1973 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,927.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conveyor apparatus has heretofore been proposed in U.S. Pat. No.3,363,735 in which a conveying face is formed by an assembly of rollerdevices each comprising a boss supported on a frame and a plurality ofrollers equidistantly spaced apart along a circle arrangedconcentrically with the boss and rotatable in a direction at rightangles with the direction of rotation of the boss. With such conveyorapparatus, a conveying face of the desired width will not always beobtained simply by varying the number of the roller devices constitutingthe assembly, since the respective roller devices are of a uniform size.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a rollerdevice such that a plurality of such roller devices can be fittedtogether with the rollers of one device positioned between the rollersof another device respectively so that the greatest possible number ofrollers will be positioned to define a conveying face as a whole toassure a uniform conveying operation at all times.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a roller devicesuch that when a plurality of the roller devices are assembled, oneroller device can be fitted to another in face-to-face or back-to-facerelation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a roller devicewhich can be fitted onto a round or angular shaft so as to be free torotate on the shaft or to be driven by the shaft.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a rollerdevice which overcomes the problems and deficiencies associated withpast conveying and transporting devices related to the transportation ofarticles from one location to another.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a rollerdevice which is simple and inexpensive of construction and operation andwhich is capable of being joined with other similar devices in a varietyof arrangements to form a conveying face which will permit a uniform andsteady transporting operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a roller devicewhich is adaptable for use in a variety of conveying and transportingenvironments and which is capable of combination with other such devicesto produce an assembly having utility in transporting and conveyingarticles of various sizes and weights.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device ofthe class indicated which is capable of the functions referred to andwhich is based upon sound mechanical and engineering principles andwhich is not complex in structure and is adaptable to combination withsimilar devices from either the front or the back to produce a varietyof assembly arrangements varying greatly in roller density.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally, in accordance with the present invention, a roller device isprovided which is composed of a main body including a cylindrical bossadapted for mounting on a shaft and a plurality of rollers rotatablymounted along the outer periphery of the main body. A plurality of ribsextend radially from the outer periphery of the boss, with each ribbranching into arm elements at the end opposite the boss. A plateconnects the ribs and arm elements. Grooves in the arm elements form abore for receiving the shaft of a roller. The inner faces and outerfaces of each end of the boss are so structured as to be adapted forengagement with opposing structure and features in similar devices.

An embodiment of this invention is shown in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a roller device;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main body;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the main body;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a drive wheel;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a clamp ring; and

FIG. 8 is a side elevation showing the device in operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A roller device 10 comprises a main body 12 integrally molded of asynthetic resin material or casted with metal and a plurality of rollers14 rotatably mounted along the outer periphery of the main body 12. Themain body 12 includes a cylindrical boss 17 to be mounted on a shaft anda plurality of ribs 18 radially extending from the outer periphery ofthe boss and spaced apart equidistantly. A space for a roller is formedbetween adjacent ribs.

Each of the ribs 18 branches at its distal end into support arms 19 and19 in a Y-shaped form. At the opposite sides of the roller space, thesupport arms of the adjacent ribs are positioned in parallel with eachother. To reinforce the support arms 19 and ribs 18, the boss 17 isprovided at its one end with a connecting plate 16 which extends betweenthe support arms 19 and 19 and is integral with the ribs 18 andcylindrical boss 17.

The distal end of the support arm 19 is formed, in its side facing theroller space, with a vertical groove 31 extending downward from theupper edge thereof up to a mid portion of the height of the support arm19 and having a depth approximately one half the thickness of thesupport arm 19. In the outer side of the distal end of the support arm19, there is formed a similar vertical groove 32 extending upward fromthe lower edge thereof. Both vertical grooves 31 and 32 overlap eachother at the center of distal end of the support arm 19, the overlappingportion providing a circular bore 30 for a roller shaft.

A barrel-like roller 14 having a greater diameter at its midportion thanat the ends, is fitted in each roller space of the main body 12. Aroller shaft 15 extending from the end face of the roller is rotatablyfitted into the bore 30 at the distal end of each support arm.

The cylindrical boss 17 is formed in its inner face with circular arcfaces 20 and polygonal angular faces 21 positioned alternately, thecircular arc faces 20 being adapted to fit with a shaft of a circularcross section with the angular faces 21 defining a polygon whichoverlaps a circle defined by the circular arc faces, with its cornersopposing the ribs 18 and rollers 14 respectively. Accordingly, the mainbody 12 can be mounted on a round shaft for free rotation or can befitted on a shaft of a polygonal cross section to rotate integrally withthe shaft.

One end face 22 of the boss 17 is formed with tonguelike projections 25opposing the ribs 18 and recesses 24 opposing the rollers 14 and havingthe same width as the projection 25. Thus two roller devices 10 and 10aare fitted together, with the end faces 22 and 22 of the bosses 17 atthe same side positioned in face-to-face relation as illustrated in FIG.2. The recesses 24 of one device are engaged with the projections of theother device in alternating manner. As a result, one of the rollerdevices 10 enters the other by the depth of the recesses 24 and the ribsof main body 12 of one roller device position in the roller spaces ofmain body of the other roller device. Consequently, one device isdisplaced from the angular other by one half the pitch of the rollerarrangement, and these tightly engaged two roller devices can be treatedas a unit. In this combination the rollers of respective devices 10 and10a approaches closest.

At the other end face 26 of the cylindrical boss 17 there is formed acircular recess 29 in conformity with the outer diameter of thecylindrical boss 17 and having one half the depth of the recess 24 inthe end face 22. In opposing relation to the rollers 14, the peripheralwall of the circular recess 29 is formed with cutouts 27. Accordingly,when two roller devices 10 and 10(b) are fitted together with thedifferent end faces 22(b) and 26 facing each other, the rib front faces28 of the roller device 10(b) engage in the cutouts 27 in the end face26 and, the ends of the projections 25 of the device 10(b) contact thebottom face of the circular recess 29 with the result that the device10(b) enters the device 10 by the depth of the circular recess 29,namely by one half the depth of the recess 24, the one device beingdisplaced from the other by one half the pitch of the rollerarrangement.

In practicing this invention, the boss end face can of course be formedwith engaging portions of some other different shape engageable with anadjacent similar device, in place of the projections recesses andcutouts. The depth of the engagement can be varied depending uponwhether the main bodies are fitted together in face-to-face relation orback-to-face relation, thus assuring the same advantages as in theforegoing.

When a conveyor face is formed of a suitable number of assemblies of theroller devices 10 each comprising a shaft of a circular cross sectionand the roller devices 10 fitted on the shaft with suitable retainersattached to the opposite ends of the shaft, the roller devices 10 arefree to rotate on the round shaft and articles delivered onto theconveyor face will be supported on the rollers 14 located at an upperposition and sent toward a desired direction by the rotation of therollers 14 and the rotation of the main bodies 12 or by the combinationof these two modes of rotation.

When the roller devices 10 are mounted on a shaft with the same faces ofall the devices oriented in one direction, the end face 22 of one boss17 will engage the end face 26 of another boss 17, resulting each devicedisplaced from the adjacent device by one half the pitch of the rollerarrangement without any adjustment, and all devices rotatesimultaneously. Conversely, if the faces of two roller devices 10 aredirected in different directions, the unit engagement will be mounted ona shaft intermittently to reduce the number of roller devices on ashaft.

Further in the case where the roller devices 10 are fitted on a shaft 60of a polygonal section, the angular faces 21 of the boss 17 will fit tothe angular shaft 60, permitting all the devices to rotate together withthe shaft. In this arrangement a drive wheel 40 as shown in FIG. 6 ismounted on one end of the angular shaft 60 and associated with drivemeans 62, the drive wheel including a gear 42 or sprocket formed alongits outer periphery and provided in its opposite faces with engagingportions 43 and 44 adapted for engagement to different depths. Asuitable retainer is mounted on the other end of the shaft 60. In thisway, the drive wheel 40 is forced to rotate in engagement with theroller devices to transport articles on the conveyor face.

When the articles are pushed toward the direction of the shaft 60, thearticles can be readily taken off the conveyor face due to the rotationof the rollers 14. Further mounted on the opposite ends of a round shaftcarrying roller devices 10 are clamp rings 50 as shown in FIG. 7 andformed in its opposite end faces with engaging portions 53 and 54adapted for engagement to different depths, the clamp ring having asplit portion in its peripheral portion. After the engaging portion 53of the ring 50 is engaged with the engaging portion of the rollerdevice, a bolt 52 is passed through projections 55 extending from theopposite sides of the split and the clamp ring is fastened, whereby theroller device can be locked to the round shaft against idle rotation.

From the foregoing, it may be seen that the present invention provides auseful device for combination with similar devices in a variety ofarrangements to produce and assembly with a face for conveying ortransporting articles with ease and rapidity. The device avoids thedeficiencies and problems of the past and yet is simple and inexpensiveof construction.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Thepresently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in allrespects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the inventionbeing indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A roller device comprising a main body, includinga cylindrical boss adapted for mounting on a shaft, a plurality ofrollers rotatably spaced apart concentrically around said boss, ribsextending radially from the outer periphery of the boss to rotatablyreceive said rollers, said ribs branching into a plurality of supportarms with front and rear faces at the end opposite the boss, wherein oneend face of the boss is formed with tonguelike projections and recessesalternately adjacent to said rollers and ribs, and the other end face ofthe boss is formed with a circular recess having the same diameter asthe diameter of said boss and a depth different from height of the saidprojections, and cutouts extending from said circular recess beingangularly displaced from the ribs on the one face by one half theangular pitch of the roller arrangement wherein two said roller devicesmay be coupled together by placing the projections of one of said rollerdevices into the circular recess or the recesses of the other of saidroller devices whereby the rollers of said one device are displaced byone half of the angular pitch of the roller placement of said otherdevices.